Bihar govt formation: Nitish Kumar to take oath tomorrow for 10th term as CM; Cabinet to focus on caste, regional balance

Nitish Kumar is expected to step down as Bihar Chief Minister on Wednesday, paving the way for his swearing-in for a record tenth term following the NDA’s sweeping victory in the state assembly elections. Preparations are underway for a large-scale oath ceremony at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on Thursday, with security intensified and public entry banned during the event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top BJP leaders are scheduled to attend the event at Patna's Gandhi Maidan, reflecting the importance the alliance places on this political milestone. The new NDA government’s cabinet formation will emphasise caste and regional balance, with all alliance partners participating in the final decisions.

Bihar oath-taking ceremony: Top 10 points to know 

1. Over 2,500 security personnel and 250 police officers have been deployed around Gandhi Maidan, including snipers stationed in nearby buildings and a dedicated control room for monitoring.
2. Public access to the event site is strictly prohibited until the conclusion of the oath ceremony.
3. The cabinet formation will take into account regional representation, with significant success in Shahabad, Magadh, Mithila, and Saran likely influencing selections.
4. “A maximum of 16 ministers from the BJP and 14 ministers plus Nitish Kumar from the JD(U) will take oath on November 20,” PTI quoted a source as saying.
5. The BJP, as the largest party, is expected to claim most ministerial posts and may push for the Speaker’s role and two Deputy Chief Ministers, with a formula in place to ensure caste diversity.
6. In the outgoing assembly, BJP's Nand Kishore Yadav served as Speaker and JD(U)'s Narendra Narayan Yadav as Deputy Speaker. 
7. The possibility of appointing a female Deputy Chief Minister is under review, and several former ministers may return to office.
8. JD(U) is expected to retain most of its current ministers whereas the BJP may introduce new faces. 
9. Allies LJP (RV), HAM, and RLM are expected to receive cabinet berths, with 3, 1, and 1 positions, respectively.
10. Intense negotiations over cabinet portfolios, particularly the Home ministry and Speaker’s post, have led to “last-minute roadblocks,” according to sources who spoke to India Today TV.

(With India Today, PTI inputs)